With Big Data continuing to make its mark in numerous different industries and the internet Of Things on the rise, what can we expect to see out of them in the future?

This time of year everyone starts to predict what the future will hold, what trends will be all the rage and whose products will be the most successful. It is pretty safe to say that Big Data will continue to be improved and utilized in more ways in the future. The Internet Of Things is definitely on the rise, but what can we expect from it in this upcoming year?

We are racing forward to an era of hyper-connectivity. Objects now have the ability to communicate with each other, all using DATA!

The Internet of Things is happening now!

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term that has been thrown around for a few years now, but many of us may still not fully understand what it means.

The IoT refers to a network of physical objects or “things” that have the capabilities to both collect and exchange any amount of data. They do this through a variety of software, electronics, sensors, and network connectivity.

So many devices that we own are connected to this “Internet of Things”, and we are using this network of data everyday to make our lives easier. This includes everything from cell phones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, wearable devices and almost anything else you can think of. If it has an on and off switch, then chances are good that it is connected to the IoT.

Now that more and more objects are connected to the IoT, those objects can all communicate to optimize day-to-day practices, create new opportunities, and save us money!

This is a great video looking at 7 bind-blowing facts of the Internet of Things.

“In 2008, there were already more objects connected to the internet than people.”

“The ATM was one of the first objects of the Internet of Things, dating back to 1974.”

“This year we will have 4.9 Billion connected things.”

“By 2020, we will have 6.1 Billion smartphone users.”

“The global market for wearable devices has grown 223% in 2015.”

“By 2020, a quarter of a billion vehicles will be connected to the internet.”

Car accidents are never a good thing, whether they range from a simple fender bender to a full on smash, they greatly affect our lives. Car crashes can lead to serious, life altering injuries as well as become very expensive in hospital and automotive repair costs. Overall a car accident is something no one wants to experience. With the winter rolling in here in Colorado, poor road conditions and snow lead to a lot of motor vehicle accidents.

What if we could better prevent this?

With the technology in cars advancing everyday it is not a far stretch to believe that we will soon be driving cars that can communicate to one another. Imagine, you are driving at night and all of a sudden your dash board alerts you there is black ice a mile ahead of you. At this point you have plenty of time to slow your speed and take extra precautions to avoid sliding across the almost otherwise undetectable ice. Now how did your car know there was a hazard a mile ahead of you? The cars driving towards you, who had already encountered the ice would send a signal to your car informing it of the potential danger.

This type of alert is already being used in the trucking industry. Trucks are not yet equipped with the technology to communicate to one another yet, but the drivers are beginning to use IBM’s MessageSight system to connect with other drivers more easily. This allows drivers to relay information to one another about road conditions, possible hazards, and even a fellow truck that may need assistance. By connecting the drivers to more real time information, they can determine better routes and get to their destination faster and with less issues. IBM’s MessageSight is optimizing the entire trucking industry by simply providing a network for drivers to communicate with one another.

With this type of technology we are already seeing the trucking industry save money by becoming more efficient with their routes, but as the automobile technology advances we will begin to see a lot more than that. Hopefully as cars become more intelligent we will see less accidents saving people money and possibly their lives.